Kimberly Forsythe, President
Kim founded Shine On! Kids (formerly the Tyler Foundation) with her husband, Mark Ferris, after their son, Tyler, died from complications of infant leukemia in 2006. From 1990, Kim worked in Tokyo as a professional voice over artist, TV and radio announcer, and a narrator for educational recordings. She graduated with BA in mathematics and a MS in systems engineering from the University of Virginia.
Miho Neely, General Manager
Miho joined Shine On! Kids in 2015 as the general manager. Her extensive media production background working with TV Tokyo, NHK, and Disney Channel has served Shine On! Kids well in both crafting and managing our multiple projects, programs, PR and communications events. Prior to joining full time, she produced several charity events for Shine On! Kids and the American School in Japan over the years.
Yuko Morita, Hospital Facility Dog Nurse Handler
Graduated from the Department of Nursing at University of Shizuoka in 2004 and joined the Nursing Department of National Center for Child Health and Development. In 2009, she became the first Shine On! Kids as a Hospital Facility Dog nurse handler and in 2010 officially began sworking with Bailey at Shizuoka Children’s Hospital. They worked here together for 2 years before being transferred to Kanagawa Children’s Medical Center in 2012.
After Bailey’s retirement in 2018, Morita began working with his successor, Annie, at Kanagawa Children’s Hospital.
Mayuko Ohashi, Hospital Facility Dog Nurse Handler
Graduated from the Sagamihara National Hospital Nursing School in 2001 and joined the National Sanatorium Murayama Hospital (currently Murayama Medical Center).
In 2004, she transferred to the National Center for Child Health and Development where she worked for over a decade. In 2019, Ohashi joined the Shine On! Kids team as a Hospital Facility Dog Nurse Handler working with Ivy at Tokyo Metropolitan Children’s Medical Center.
Natsuko Murata, Head Researcher / Project Manager for Hospital Facility Dog Program
Graduated from the Department of Animal Science and Biotechnology, the School of Veterinary Medicine, at Azabu University in 2008. Murata went on to receive her doctorate degree in Animal Behavior from the Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences and Faculty of Agriculture, at the University of Tokyo in 2013.
In 2014, Murata began an internship at Shine On! Kids as a specially appointed research fellow of Ochanomizu University and officially joined the team shortly thereafter as Beads of Courage® Program Coordinator. In 2016, she was appointed as Hospital Facility Dog Program Coordinator and promoted to Hospital Facility Dog Program Manager in 2019.
Ayami Gonnokami – Hospital Facility Dog Nurse Handler
Graduated from Nursing Science, School of Healthcare Sciences, Faculty of Medicine at the Tokyo Medical and Dental University in 1995 and joined Kanagawa Children’s Medical Center as a nurse.
Gonnokami received a Master’s Degree in Advanced Practice from the College of Nursing at St. Luke’s International University in 2012 and was certified as Pediatric Nurse Specialist by Japanese Nursing Association that same year.
In 2018, she worked at Sakakibara Memorial Hospital and then in 2021 began working at Shine On! Kids as a Hospital Facility Dog Nurse Handler out of the National Center for Child Health and Development.
Megumi Taniguchi – Hospital Facility Dog Nurse Handler
Graduated from Izumisano Sennan Medical Association Professional Nursing Training College in 2011 and joined Osaka Red Cross Hospital, Japanese Red Cross Society. In 2018 Taniguchi transferred to Toyama Red Cross Hospital, Japanese Red Cross Society where she worked until 2021 when she joined Shine On! Kids as a Hospital Facility Dog Nurse Handler based at Shizuoka Children’s Hospital.
Kana Hirasawa – Hospital Facility Dog Trainer
Graduated from Juntendo University Faculty of Health Care and Nursing in 2010 and then joined Juntendo University Shizuoka Hospital. In 2015, she enrolled in the Bergin University of Canine Studies and in 2020 Hirasawa joined Shine On! Kids as Hospital Facility Dog Nurse Handler and trainer.
Mami Ikenoue – Hospital Facility Dog Trainer
Graduated from the Bergin University of Canine Studies in 2018 and joined Paws for Purple Hearts. In 2023, Ikenoue joined Shine On! Kids as Hospital Facility Dog Trainer.
Misaki Arreza
Beads of Courage® Program Coordinator
Kaori Ishimoto
Accounting / General Affairs and Human Resources
Isamu Oba
General Manager of Administrative Division
Kyoko Kato
CSR / Event Coordinator
Yoko Kim
Press / Public Relations
Michiyo Shimoeda
Hospital & HR Advisor
Akiko Shirako
Hospital Facility Dog Program
Yayoi Suzuki
Resident Interpreter
Mika Sunakawa
Well-being Adviser / Career Support Business
Michiyo Dossor
Event Manager
Hiroko Hashizume
Public Relations Manager
Tomoko Haruta
Executive Assistant / Assistant to General Manager
Yoriko Matsuda
Shine On! Connections Program Coordinator
Mima Seminara
Marketing and Communications Manager, English
Bailey, male, Golden Retriever – Japan’s first Hospital Facility Dog
Bailey was born in Australia on December 14, 2007, and received his Facility Dog training at Assistance Dogs of Hawaii. After graduating in 2010, he arrived in Tokyo to become Japan’s first full-time Hospital Facility Dog along with his nurse handler Yuko Morita at Shizuoka Children’s Hospital, then at Kanagawa Children’s Medical Center. After eight years of amazing service, Bailey retired from his post. He enjoyed his golden years playing with his friends, eating his favorite foods and setting an example for his predecessors.
Bailey left us on October 1st, 2020 after living a wonderful, adventurous life, full of love and giving. Bailey changed hospital life for thousands of children, family members and medical staff and helped Shine On! Kids lay the foundation for one of the biggest changes to psycho-social care in pediatric hospitals in Japan. Thank you, Bailey!
Yogi, male, Golden Retriever
Yogi was born in Australia on June 18, 2011. At two months old, he went to Assistance Dogs of Hawaii where he received specialized training until he was one year old. After graduating, he came to Japan and became the second Hospital Facility Dog for Shine On! Kids. For 10 years he worked at Shizuoka Children’s Hospital with his nurse handler Keiko Suzuki, before retiring in September 2021. He passed the baton to Ty as his successor and now spends his time in the relaxing countryside.
Annie, female, Golden Retriever
Annie was born in Australia on March 27, 2016. She began her year-long training at Assistance Dogs of Hawaii when she was two months old. She arrived in Japan in 2017 as the third Hospital Facility Dog to begin working at Kanagawa Children’s Medical Center with her nurse handler Yuko Morita.
Ivy, female, Labrador Retriever
Ivy was born in California on January 22, 2017. At two months old she began training at Assistance Dogs Northwest (Seattle, Washington) and after graduation transitioned to Assistance Dogs of Hawaii where she continued her training to become a Hospital Facility Dog. Ivy now works at Tokyo Metropolitan Children’s Medical Center—the third hospital in Japan to adopt Shine On! Kids’ Facility Dog Program and also the very first in Tokyo—with her nurse handler Mayuko Ohashi. Although relatively new to the role, Ivy takes her work as a Hospital Facility Dog seriously and she works very hard!
Ty, male, Golden Retriever
Ty was born on February 23, 2019, and arrived in Japan a few months later from Career Dogs Australia to begin training to become a Hospital Facility Dog with Shine On! Kids.
Ty officially started working at Shizuoka Children’s Medical Center in September 2021, replacing Yogi, who retired after 10 years of amazing work.
Shine On! Kids Co-founder Kim Forsythe’s late son—and inspiration for the organization—was named Tyler and therefore Ty was named in his honor.
Masa, male, Labrador Retriever
Masa was born on March 7, 2019, and arrived in Japan a few months later to begin his training.
He started working at the National Center for Child Health and Development in July 2021. Shine On! Kids was so excited to finally place a Facility Dog in the hospital where Tyler spent his life undergoing cancer treatment.
Masa was named after the late Dr. Masaki Kumagai, who was not only Shine On! Kids’ biggest supporter, but also Tyler Ferris’s pediatric oncologist during his treatment.
Both Ty and Masa’s temperament and health were evaluated from an early age and they were carefully selected for indications of talent and competency to become Hospital Facility Dogs.